1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with pesticide compositions and methods wherein the compositions include a broad class of pesticides, especially insecticides and herbicides and mixtures thereof, together with an amount of a copolymer adjuvant or additive serving to significantly increase the effectiveness of the pesticide. More particularly, the invention is concerned with such compositions and methods wherein a copolymer including respective quantities of maleic and itaconic moieties is mixed or used with a selected pesticide.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The chemistries of pesticides, and especially insecticides and herbicides, are diverse and well known. Large numbers of such pesticides have been developed in the past, some of which are broad spectrum (e.g., glyphosate) while others have more specific utilities (e.g., triazine for corn). In all instances, however, efforts are made to minimize the use of pesticide to obtain the same or enhanced effectiveness. This is done for reasons of cost and also to minimize the environmental impact of pesticidal usage.
A wide variety of adjuvants and additives have been used in the past with pesticidal formulations. These include pH modifiers, surfactants, anti-foam agents, anti-evaporants, buffers, penetrating agents, compatibility agents, defoamers, deposition agents, drift-control agents with sprays, extenders, foaming agents, humectants, spreaders, stickers, wetting agents, and water conditioners. While these expedients are known to marginally increase pesticide performance, in general they do not provide significant, multiple-fold increases in pesticidal effectiveness.
There is accordingly a real and unsatisfied need in the art for a class of adjuvants or additives which can very significantly increase the effectiveness of pesticides without themselves posing excessive cost or environmental impact problems.